Drag Racing Tech - Drag Strip Newbie

Been looking over some info on actually going to the drag strip trying to visualize how everything should be done before I go to run my car for the first time. I know I'll need a helmet because I don't plan on sucking enough to run slower than 13.99 and I'll be on street tires so I know to avoid the waterbox. But I have 2 questions, one of which I know I've seen opinions on somewhere on here but I searched and can't find it again.

First, I'm pretty sure my pinion seal is leaking, slowly, but leaking nonetheless. A, will they even let me down the track? B, is it safe to race if they do let me?

Second, my car is a stock A4 Formula. Not sure if Camaros or "real" T/As have a different console or not, but what gear would I want to select? I read that on street tires you don't want to do a full burnout, you just want to whack the throttle to clean them a bit so I assume that can be done in 1 or 2, 3, or D, doesn't really matter. But when it comes to actually going down the track, what is best? Would I want to put it in 3 or D? This is going to make me sound like a total newb :eyes:, but my DD has a setting for OD, a setting for D, and 1. To me that means that in the Formula, D would include OD, and I've heard people on here say to avoid OD to keep the rpms in the powerband.

What track will you be running?

Run the car in "D" not "OD"

keep it in d and you might want to fix that pinion seal before you go out depending on how bad its leaking.

It'd be at 75-80 Mike. I don't have a setting that blatantly says OD hence my apprehension. I just have 1, 2, 3, and D, thats why I wasn't sure if people talking about keeping it in D vs OD have a different console setup than I do depending on their model.

The pinion seal leaks roughly about the size of quarter if it sits for 5-7 days.

For reference:
Camaro Z28 interior
http://images.autotrader.com/scaler/544/408/images/2012/3/9/317/460/24929352384.317460158.IM1.19.565x421_A.562x421.jpg
http://static.cargurus.com/images/site/2008/02/27/22/12/2001_chevrolet_camaro_z28_coupe-pic-40635.jpeg

Formula interior
http://ls1tech.com/forums/attachments/vehicles-sale-lsx-powered-only/136885d1214088083-2001-white-firebird-formula-44k-miles-auto-bone-stock-alabama-interior1024.jpg

You want it in 3rd,make sure you drive around the water box not through it.

A small drip the size of a quarter a week isn't anything to worry about for the strip.

Cool thanks guys!

They probably won't even look under it for that. It isn't going to drip on the track for the short time you are up there.

It'd be at 75-80 Mike. I don't have a setting that blatantly says OD hence my apprehension. I just have 1, 2, 3, and D, thats why I wasn't sure if people talking about keeping it in D vs OD have a different console setup than I do depending on their model.

The pinion seal leaks roughly about the size of quarter if it sits for 5-7 days.

They are a joke when it comes to Tech. Just bring a helmet and you will be fine.

Just wipe it clean when you get to the track
Put your shifter in drive.It probally will never shift into drive
at WOT.

Do you know how to work the lights. I think that would be the biggest thing to figure out for your first time.

They are a joke when it comes to Tech. Just bring a helmet and you will be fine.

Haha thanks

Do you know how to work the lights. I think that would be the biggest thing to figure out for your first time.

I know to nail it on the last yellow :jest: but I know that reaction time doesn't factor into your ET so I really am not super worried about it. Obviously if I go up against a friend or someone I know I'll pay more attention so I can beat em off the line possibly but if not then I just want to get some solid baseline runs before my converter goes in later this Summer.

Dont double bulb anyone!

Meaning, when you pull up to the lights, do not pull in and light both lights unless you're running by yourself and no one is in the other lane.

If someone is in the other lane, and hasn't lit their top light yet, pull forward enough to light the first staging light and sit there. Wait until the other driver has lit his first staging light before you light your second staging light. This is called courtesy staging.

Basically by pulling into the beams and lighting both lights immediately you are rushing the other guy. If someone does this to you and lights both bulbs before you light your first bulb, don't even pull into the lights. Just sit there right before the first staging beam and don't light any of the lights. The starter if competent and knows what he is doing will tell the other guy to back up and courtesy stage.

Simple drag strip etiquette that I see a lot of the people on this sight don't do.

Hey thanks man that was really helpful, I would have never known that otherwise!

Lower your tire pressure to about 18lbs. It will help with those street tires

Really? I thought street tires you were supposed to keep them at normal levels?

Not what I heard. Which I mean it makes sense to me as well... I'm not expert but I can tell a difference.
When I raced my "friend's" muatang GT, I dropped them to 18 to catch traction off the line. Seemed to work better than 34lbs like I normally run

If you have street tires lowering them that much can be dangerous. When I ran on street tires I didn't go below 26psi. Typical street radials aren't meant to be driven at high speeds with low pressure.

That's more like what I'm used to hearing lol

Dont double bulb anyone!

Meaning, when you pull up to the lights, do not pull in and light both lights unless you're running by yourself and no one is in the other lane.

If someone is in the other lane, and hasn't lit their top light yet, pull forward enough to light the first staging light and sit there. Wait until the other driver has lit his first staging light before you light your second staging light. This is called courtesy staging.

Basically by pulling into the beams and lighting both lights immediately you are rushing the other guy. If someone does this to you and lights both bulbs before you light your first bulb, don't even pull into the lights. Just sit there right before the first staging beam and don't light any of the lights. The starter if competent and knows what he is doing will tell the other guy to back up and courtesy stage.

Simple drag strip etiquette that I see a lot of the people on this sight don't do.

kinda unnecessary at a test n tune street car session. But yea really annoying at a race event.

I remember something funky in my 4l60e as it would bump the rev limiter every now and again if I left it in drive or OD(or 3 on trans am shifter I guess?). Did some research and found out if you leave shifter in 2nd, then after you feel the tranny shift into 2nd on your run to move it up to D or 3 on the trans am and it wouldnt bump the limiter...and it worked! So if your having issues with it doing that, try shifting it like that. It was something very technical why it would do that and a long time ago so I dont remember exactly why but, I just remember it working though. ofcouse mine was bolt-ons, tuned, 4k stall, and gears which may have messed with it a little?

Interesting, I'll keep an eye on that. I'd be bolt-ons, ~3600 stall, and tune.

kinda unnecessary at a test n tune street car session. But yea really annoying at a race event.

I remember something funky in my 4l60e as it would bump the rev limiter every now and again if I left it in drive or OD(or 3 on trans am shifter I guess?). Did some research and found out if you leave shifter in 2nd, then after you feel the tranny shift into 2nd on your run to move it up to D or 3 on the trans am and it wouldnt bump the limiter...and it worked! So if your having issues with it doing that, try shifting it like that. It was something very technical why it would do that and a long time ago so I dont remember exactly why but, I just remember it working though. ofcouse mine was bolt-ons, tuned, 4k stall, and gears which may have messed with it a little?

I found it extremely annoying when I would be staging my turbo car and the asshole in the next lane would pull in and light both lights before I lit one of mine.

So when I'd pull in to spool on the footbrake and build my boost I'd only have however long auto-start was set for to bump in to light the 2nd light. So I'd basically have 7 seconds once I lit the first light to go through my little routine I like to do just to once over all the gauges and make sure there is nothing wrong and strap my undies on tight. If I didn't get it all done in 7 seconds the lights would drop and if I had wanted to practice on my r/t that would of been completely blown because the guy in the other lane thinks its ok because it's TNT.

Just saying man. I've been the turbo car in the other lane when this happens and it's annoying as shit. It's good practice to do it all the time.